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The Yamaha SHS-10 Keytar
'ACQUIRED FOR EFFORT, NOT FOR PRICE' The Yamaha SHS-10 toy keytar was found in "the wretched place that is" Sanford, Maine, on the side of the road, right behind a Cumby's near Goodall Library, there was a second working keyboard that was right next to it and it was brought home and cleaned. The two keyboards were part of a larger pile left out for a regular thing that Maine does where people leave out stuff for pickup. Not only did the other free keyboard sound like NES Music (a feature Beyette would've liked later) but it didn't have MIDI out, FM sounds or a pitch bend like the Yamaha SHS-10 did. As the years have gone by, the Yamaha SHS-10 has remained as part of the setup of Beyette's studio, used mostly for practice, to record extra midi data in a jam, or as a small portable option that can be transported easily. The Yamaha SHS-10 was part of a very small version of the studio that was brought in luggage during Beyette's initial trip to Los Angeles. 'THE UNIQUE LOOK OF THE INSTRUMENT' The cosmetic nature of the keyboard has been alterred over time. There was a time where it had a lot of stickers even on the keys, as well as an ongoing effort to completely cover the bottom black plastic side of the keyboard with the spine stickers from CDs and DVDs. "At first I was picky, only putting stuff I really liked, but there's other stuff on there that are from friend's cds and stuff. The main goal is to get it completely covered, and then finally cover whatever isn't in good taste with stuff I'm really into." All of the stickers that were once on the keyboard have been removed, as well as various surface stickers that have been on the top of the keyboard but on the underside of the unit is a large collection of spine stickers, a collection habit that was originally inspired by Beyette's friend Craig. Over the years the keyboard has lost a few keys, when it was originally acquired it was only missing the key. Similar models of the Yamaha SHS-10 that are without missing keys and also of different body colors (like black and silver) can be found on ebay for about $200 . Apparently it is a sought after keyboard. The curent use of the keyboard is the primary MIDI controller for Beyette until his Oxygen 61 is shipped to Los Angeles. It has been used to program and write many of the songs on different discs of "Growth". He may or may not circuit bend the keyboard (with adding four keys for starters) )for risk of tarnishing it's sentimentality, but maybe a second SHS-10 will be bought for the purpose of bending. "A recommendation to anyone that has one of these keytars... attach a bass overdrive pedal or anything with distortion, switch it to the saxophone patch, #33, then transpose down -12 tones, turn the amp way up and just cut through people with that sick pitch-bending saw synth." 'Trivia:' Like most SHS-10 models that you'll find on Ebay, Beyette's Yamaha SHS-10 is missing the battery cover. "although I'm not sure If I lost it or the person that put on the side of the road lost it. Maybe I have it somewhere. Luckily enough the batteries stay in on faith alone!" 'PHOTO GALLERY FOR "THE YAMAHA SHS-10 KEYTAR":' DSCN0499.JPG|Strap lock that broke off. Was like this forever until I bought a first act ukelele sized guitar at a yard sale and took the lock off that. DSCN0498.JPG|A reputable brand even in toys DSCN0497.JPG DSCN0496.JPG|Quarter inch out, Midi-Out, DC9v in, verrrry sweet. Especially that MIDI-Out. DSCN0495.JPG|One thousand beats per minute DSCN0491.JPG|Just behind the pitch bend wheel DSCN0488.JPG|Always an adventure DSCN0487.JPG|The ongoing sticker collection. IMG_20120417_162556.jpg|Closeup of the keytar with red Amoeba Music guitar strap 'RELEVANT LINKS:' *Yamaha SHS-10 on SynthMania *Yamaha SHS-10 on SonicState *Download of Yamaha SHS-10 sounds on KVR Audio's link to Bedroom Producer's Blog Category:Instruments Category:Keyboards